"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."
John 6:65-68
The idea here that approaching Christ is a gift from God is an interesting one. Sometimes we resist the idea, because on some level we want to be big and grown up and independent, but in a very real way, the good desires that we have are blessings from God. He changes our hearts and teaches us how to reach our potential, and we work with him to take each step on the path to salvation. That doesn't mean that we don't have a choice. We do... but that free agency is also an important blessing from God. :)
Many of Christ's disciples left him because of something he says a little earlier in the chapter that they either didn't understand or didn't like. Either way, the resulting conversation with the twelve is interesting, because Peter actually gets the whole idea of everything coming from God. If we walk away from God, there is nowhere to go. He is the only source of that life and spirit that we so desperately need.
Today, let's try to remember just how much we need God, and maybe stop trying to shut him out of parts of our lives. :) Let's be like Peter, and instead of walking away when we don't understand or like something, let's acknowledge that the Lord is teaching us, not asking for our approval. Let's go to God to learn the things we don't understand and to hear the words of eternal life.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."
John 6:65-68
The idea here that approaching Christ is a gift from God is an interesting one. Sometimes we resist the idea, because on some level we want to be big and grown up and independent, but in a very real way, the good desires that we have are blessings from God. He changes our hearts and teaches us how to reach our potential, and we work with him to take each step on the path to salvation. That doesn't mean that we don't have a choice. We do... but that free agency is also an important blessing from God. :)
Many of Christ's disciples left him because of something he says a little earlier in the chapter that they either didn't understand or didn't like. Either way, the resulting conversation with the twelve is interesting, because Peter actually gets the whole idea of everything coming from God. If we walk away from God, there is nowhere to go. He is the only source of that life and spirit that we so desperately need.
Today, let's try to remember just how much we need God, and maybe stop trying to shut him out of parts of our lives. :) Let's be like Peter, and instead of walking away when we don't understand or like something, let's acknowledge that the Lord is teaching us, not asking for our approval. Let's go to God to learn the things we don't understand and to hear the words of eternal life.
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